Driving mechanism



March 28, 1944. N U 2,345,418

DRIVING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 9, 1941 FIELD I I F :uMMuTATnR Mai-[UL lVeuner Patented Mar. 28, 1944 2,345,418 DRIVING MECHANISM Martin Neuner, Fairview; N. 32, asslgnor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, corporation of Delaware South Bend, Ind., a

Application October 9, 1941, Serial No. 414,373

3 Claims.

This invention relates to driving mechanism, and P rly to mechanism for coupling a rotating element with an element to be rotated therewith.

An object of the invention is to provide novel electromagnetic coupling means, in a device of the character described.

A second object is to provide, in an electromagnetic driving mechanism, novel means for delivering energizing current thereto.

Another object is to provide, in an'electric motor driven clutch mechanism, means for utilizing the motor structure as the vehicle for delivery of energizing current to the clutch.

Another objecti's to provide a clutch mechanism having elements thereof rotatable with the armature of a driving motor, one of which rotatable elements is a clutch-engaging, electromagnetic coil whose end portions pass through slots in the armature, and connect with the commutator portion in such manner that the commutator segments constitute terminals for the coil.

when read with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention. It is to pended claims for this purpose.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in mechanical section and partly diagrammatic, of apparatus embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a more complete diagram of the electric connections.

Referring first to Fig. 1, there is shown at the flywheel corresponding to the inertia element of a conventional engine starting mechanism of the inertia type as is shown, for example, in Fig. 4 of Patent No. 1,833,948 to Raymond P. Lansing, granted December 4, 1931; the said flywheel 5 being rotatable in bearings 6 and having integrated therewith a toothed portion 1 constituting a pinion adapted to mesh with and drive a gear train, such as the gear train 81, 85, 84, etc.- of the Lansing patent above referred to, for the purpose of transmitting to the crankshaft of the engine to be started the kinetic energ} previously stored in flywheel 5. The means for energizing the flywheel 5 is shown as including an electric motor having an armature 3 provided with a central shaft I0 and windings 9 terminator spool 31 adapted to be ing in the conventional manner in a commutator II. The fleld windings of the motor are shown diagrammatically at l2, and the armature shaft is shown as being rotatably supported at one end in bearings l3 located at the righthand end of the armature shaft. While the rotatable support for the opposite end of the armature assembly is not illustrated, a space to receive such a bearing is indicated at I 0, near its lefthand end, has drivably secured thereto a flanged sleeve or plate l6 provided with angularly spaced holes adapted to align with correspondingly spaced holes I! formed in a clutch element I8 of magnetic material, and driving pins I9 are secured to the plate l6 and pass loosely through the apertures ll of the clutch element l8 to cause the latter to rotate with the plate l6 in response to rotation of the armature 8, while the loose fit of the pins l9 in the holes H at the same time permits relative longitudinal motion to a limited extent between the members "5 and 18, while continuing the driving relationship therebetween.

The clutch element i8 is shown as provided with an outwardly flaring flange 2| having a surface adapted to frictionally grip the corresponding surface of the starter flywheel 5 (or, if preferred, intermeshing teeth may be provided on these surfaces) and thus transmit to the member 5 the energy developed by reason of closure of the circuit leading to the motor 8, II from the source 23. A relay 24 having contacts 26, 21 and 23 controls the passage of current from the source 23 to the windings 3 and it, the said circuit being normally open by reason of the action of the spring 29 but adapted to be closed, notwithstanding said spring, upon passing of current through the winding of the relay inresponse to manual closure of the switch 3|.

The novel coupling means of the invention includes an electromagnetic apparatus comprising a winding 36 secured to and surrounding a core driven by the armature shaft ID to which the said spool is keyed as indicated at 4|; the said winding 36 having electrical connection with the source of current 23 by a path which includes segments 46 and M of the motor commutator ii, the ends of the windings 36 being actually passed through separate slots of the armature assembly 8 as indicated at 48 and 49 in Fig. 1. By passing the solenoid winding leads through the slots of the armature in this novel manner, I avoid the necessity of resorting to collector rings or other relatively moving contact making elements and utilize instead I4. The armature shaft the commutator H and the conventional assemwords, the brushes so (which are necessarily provided for the purpose of energizing the conven tional armature windings) are also utilized, in accordance with my invention, for the purpose of'energizing the winding 36 of the electromagnetic clutch assembly.

Passage of current through the winding 36 energizes the magnetic circuit which includes the core or spool 81 and its head piece 52, the face of the flywheel 5, the flange 2| of the clutch element is and the inwardly extending portion 53 of said clutch element l8. The magnetic excitation thus created serves .to draw the said portion 53 of the clutch element 18 toward the end surface of the gore Bl against the yielding opposition of the coiled spring 59, and this movement is sufflcient to bring about a positive gripping action as between the flange 2! of the element 88, on the one hand, and the surface of the flywheel 5 on the other. As the commutator brushes which energize the windings 8 and i2 simultaneously energize the winding 35 of the clutch assembly, it will be apparent that driving relationshipis established between the motor and the flywheel 5 simultaneously with the energization of the motor, and such driving relationship will be maintained until both the motor windings and the'solenoid winding are simultaneously deenergized by the reopening of the controlling switch ill and the relay contact 271 controlled thereby. When such reopening of the circuit occurs, the spring 5% is of course effective to break the driving relationship between the surfaces 20 and 5, and thus free the flywheel of any mechanical connection "with the motor during the subse quent lerlod of transfer of the stored energy from the flywheel to the engine to be started (in the manner well known in the art and described at length in the patent above referred to).

In other words, the sequence of actions is as follows:

First: Movement of the motor-actuated rotat ing member 1 into engagement with flywheel 5, to accelera the latter. 1

Second: Return oi member ii to the free position (that is, the position shown in Fig. 1) after the flywheel has been accelerated sufficiently.

Third: Eransier' the stored flywheel energy to the engine to he started (as by engaging clutch elements El and 9 or" the Lansing Patent masses above referred to).

With such a sequence it will be seen that, no matter how cold the engine to be started may be, the cranking thereof is by means of energy stored in the flywheel 5 during that preliminary period (listed first above) when there is no mechanical connection of the flywheel 5 to the engine to be started. It follows that the member 2| is never called upon to operate against the static inertia resistance of the cold" engine, but only against the relatively light resistance presented by the unloaded flywheel 5. The flywheel remains unloaded until fully accelerated,1at which time the circuit is broken (manually) and member 2! is thus moved to the free position by spring 59, as above explained.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination, with a flywheel to be accelerated, of accelerating means comprising a source of current, an electric circuit including said source, an electric motor having an armature whose windings constitute part of said circuit, saidv motor also having a commutatorto which said windings connect, means for mechanically connecting said armature with said flywheel, said means including a clutch element shiftable to a flywheel engaging position, electromagnetic means for shifting said clutch element, said electromagnetic means including a magnet coil whose ends pass along the armature, in slots of said armature, and terminate in said commutator energizing said electromagnetic means.

2. The combination, with a flywheel to be ac celerated, of accelerating means comprising a source of current, an electric circuit including said source, an electric motor having an armature whose windings constitute part of said circuit, said motor also having a commutator to which said windings connect, means for mechanlcally connecting said armature with said flywheel, said means including a clutch element shiftable to a flywheel engaging position, elec tromagnetic means for shifting said clutch element, and means including a magnet coil rotatabie with said armature and a part of said commutator :Zor energizing said electromagnetic mew, said energizing means further including leads passing through said armature in positions parallel to said armature windings.

combination, with a flywheel to be accelerated, of accel rating means comprising a source current, an electric circuit including said source, an electric motor having an armature whose windings constitute part of said circan't, said motor also having a commutator to said windings connect, means for mechanically connecting said armature with said fiywhcei, said means including a clutch element shlitahle to a flywheel engaging position, electromagnetic means inciuding a coil rotatable with said armature for said clutch element, and means including part of said commutator for energizing said electromagnetic means.

MARTIN NEU'NER. 

